Issue date: 7/24/08 Section: Opinion

Taking unsecured bicycles to prevent theft seems a bit counterproductive.

After all, with no knowledge of the program involved, many students don't report stolen bicycles.

However, with the right publicity and more attempts to inform campus residents of the plan to remove unsecured bikes and return them when reported missing, DPS could save itself a lot of work further down the line. The policy could greatly decrease bike thefts by actively reminding members of the Penn community to lock up their bikes, possibly saving them much trouble and cash.

Of course, Penn students should know better than to leave their bikes unlocked and unattended on campus - with Philadelphia reporting an increase in metal theft citywide, including city-owned manhole covers, bicycles seem an easy target for thieves. The ubiquitous campus U-locks stand testament to necessary watchfulness.

But if some members of the community haven't gotten the hint, taking the bikes before thieves do could prove an effective method of education. Leaving notes or putting posters around campus would encourage students to report the thefts and retrieve their bikes.

In an ideal world, bicycle owners could leave their beloved two-wheelers unlocked and come back to find them intact.

However, in the Penn world, it is just fortunate that DPS can give students a second chance to learn the ropes.

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